Diverging Destiny
by aer-seph4eva
Summary: UPDATE! FOLKEN HITOMI What if Hitomi found herself transported to the time where Folken was fighting the dragon? By adding this sudden twist to the plot, how drastic would have Folken's future had changed.
1. Chapter 1

****

Diverging destiny

Author- Aerseph4eva

Anime- Escaflowne

Pairing- Folken/Hitomi (part Van/Hitomi)****

Hi! This is Aerseph4eva attempting my very first Escaflowne fic featuring Hitomi and Folken. I have thought of this theory for some time and I have now found the inspiration to write about such an ideal. To explain simply, when Hitomi returns to Earth due to her fear and disgust of Van fighting, she relives the same memories of her run with Amano because she wills herself to always return to that same point of memory using her pendant. This theory in itself would mean that Hitomi secretly has the power to go to a specific event in time without her realising it. This then made me think of possible scenarios where Hit could then find herself located in a different time slot in the past or the future when she uses the pendant...

We all know that the reason why Van survived his first battle with the dragon was due to Hitomi's influence and help, This theory then made me wonder… what if Hitomi found herself transported to the time where Folken was fighting the dragon? By adding this sudden twist to the plot, would Folken's future have changed? Would he have still lost his arm? Would he have become King of Fanelia? What chemistry would occur between a 15 yr old Folken and Hitomi? I thought it would be an interesting possibility. Somewhat blasphemous for the Van/Hitomi fans, however I have always been attracted towards non-canon couplings and I really did not like the way Folken had to sacrifice himself for Gaia, when in truth, his world did not deserve such selfless behaviour. You cannot help but feel empathetic with Folken and how his life was so tragically written. He didn't deserve such a fate. Well...I don't think he deserved all the death and trauma which was delivered to him. None of his dreams came true after his failure with the rite of dragon-slaying to become true. But what is most tragic, he never was a true villain to begin with and instead was a confused misguided youth who was educated from the wrong side...sheds a tear of empathy

Ahem...anyhow..

****

I wanted to see what would happen when during the scene of Folken's death, Hitomi grew so emotional that she attempts to change all her sad fates into a better one. As cliché as it sounds, a pillar of light encloses around her and takes her to the memory to the first impulse where Van's sadness first began…. the loss of his brother.

Now I know this may seem slightly repetitive in this chapter, but I think it is necessary for me to rewrite the demise of Folken from Episode 25: The Absolute Fortune Zone. However, if some of the scenes seem slightly different, the reasoning is because I am using the DVD version 9 set which focuses upon a better Japanese/ English translation rather than the television series. Besides, it has better music. (Keh.) Anywho, for those who are still reading this Author's notes, Arigatou, for caring what I am about to write. For those who are getting somewhat irritated with my rambling. Gomen nesai, but I always think it is necessary to have a background context when I am going to write a fic which will hopefully become one of my best yet. (Crosses fingers). Please support me you guys, other readers who know me know that I can become really lazy with my updates. That is why I need you guys to give me a few sharp prods when I become attacked with that darn infuriating writer's block. Believe it or not, it does help to reawaken the stimuli.

Anywho, I think I have bored enough of you….. On with the fic.

* * *

_Outside, the autumn leaves had fallen, their colours rustling within the winds, forgotten and out of reach. The songbird's voice had fallen silent as it watched his masters head fall backwards. The clatter of his fallen blade awakened the soundless room, before falling to silence once more. _

_Fate had run its course, taking with it the life of a fallen angel whose only hope was to end a war._

_His wings were broken, tainted black with the quickening of his end._

_He died as he lived; tearful, alone, and unloved..._

_And the only person watching was a young girl that barely knew him. Her green eyes seeing death all around her; reliving a prediction that she could not even try to prevent._

_"No…..." she whispered, her eyes glimmering in pain as she took one step forwards, then another until she was running across the metal ramp and towards his bloodied form..._

* * *

Hitomi's eye's snapped open wide as the vision filled her senses, leaving her mind frozen and painstakingly blank. 

"That same premonition...again...'

Her lower lip trembled, barely able to stop the tears of frustration from trickling down her face. She knew her companion beside her was bemused upon her reactions, but she knew that if she raised her head to stare at the dishevelled curls of his teal locks, look into his cranberry painted orbs, and then see the warm smile upon his kind face, she would be unable to stop herself from crying.

Folken stood beside Hitomi in his dark makeshift laboratory, listening to her nervous breaths. From the way her eyes had dilated, it showed him that she must had been experiencing one of her legendary visions. Hitomi had came to him earlier in the day, rushing down into the depths of the castle where he was situated; wanting him to help her save Van from the battlefield. But now she had returned to seek his guidance so soon after sensing the distraught aura of pain of his brother in battle.

Folken could clearly see the feelings of pain and anxiety swirled in her forest green depths of her gaze and he all but knew that the girl cared deeply for his brother. Leaning his head to the side, Folken began to listen to her fears for Van. For Gaia. As her chilling words for the future continued, he felt his pulse begin to quicken as she blurted out his prediction to die. His face betrayed his mind as he was once again shaken at the proof that his fate was never his; that his life was never in his hands. However, it wasn't his near death which shocked him most; after all, he knew the fate alteration machine had given him a half life. It was in fact the girl's tearful outcry, as if she was upset and afraid that he had been delivered such a fate. Folken's lips tugged downwards into a frown, unable to comprehend the girl's selflessness and kindness, even to those who did not deserve it. Those people such as _him_. And so, after observing her tearful expression, Folken decided to relieve the brunette of her self suffering by showing her his obsidian wings, the living proof that his time was soon to end regardless of her attempts to changing his fate. There was no doubt that the girl was not from his world. He had observed her behaviour from the first time he saw her. Her love and devotion for his brother Van, and her utter disbelief and hatred against war and bloodshed made her appear much more fascinating than anyone he had ever met. He could understand why his brother loved this girl. She represented everything good that could be attained during the aftermath of a war. She was everything his brother deserved and Folken knew one thing for certain, he was going to give Van that happy fate even if he had to sacrifice his own body to gain it.

His eyes soon refocused back upon Hitomi, observing her expression which was half obscured by her long auburn bangs.

Folken tilted his head to the side, feeling an aura of the girl's pain send prickles down his skin.

"Hitomi, are you alright?"

His gaze softened as he watched Hitomi rub her eyes with the backs of her hands looking embarrassed that she had broken down in such a way.

* * *

Hitomi's POV

* * *

At the sound of his voice, Hitomi felt her head move upwards before she even realised she was doing so. If there was one thing loved about Folken was his lugubrious tone, dark and mysterious yet held a magnetism which made people **want **to listen and wish to know what he wanted to say. From all the times Hitomi had talked to Van's brother in the last few days, she had tried to understand his character better. She had even wrote her thoughts in her diary as she attempted to decode Van's enigmatic brother so she could empathise to why Van hated him so much. She could even remember the word she had written in her head. ****

'He isn't really a people's person. But he makes you feel appreciated. He stares at you as if he valued everything that you had to say. His lips would slowly creep upwards into a smile when you amused him in light banter. His eyes would soften when he knew you were sad, and although he would never raise his arms to envelop you in a hug, and that his shoulder would always remain too high to reach if you wanted to cry, he would stand there and listen silently, absorbing everything you said and somehow making you feel calm and comforted...'

No matter what Van said, Hitomi knew that Folken was a good person inside. Van needed his brother regardless of the complicated history which divided them.Hitomi clenched her fingers around her pendant harshly, as if it were to blame for her ghastly vision. Nobody deserved to die, when it is so clear that they are not truly evil. When Hitomi first met Folken, she knew from the moment she met eye contact with his gaze, and saw how much self grief and misfortune resided from within his soul that he was never evil. She knew what evil was. All she had to do was look in Dilandau's eyes and see the wild eyed gaze, void of sanity, already drinking in the amount of blood he wanted to spill. That was evil. But Folken's claret gaze spoke of intelligence and his aura held a soothing calmness that Hitomi had never felt from another. Her earlier talk with Naria and how she and her sister were saved by Folken finally concluded her realisation of the older Fanelian prince. He was not evil. Far from it...

'He is an innocent...corrupted by Zaibach...like Naria...And to see such a fate...for Folken... to die...No...'

Then all too soon, a familiar bright light enclosed around her pink crystal, spreading outwards with a pure energy. Hitomi felt her body rise before she even realised her feet had lifted themselves off the floor. Her companion's body tensed, his eyes darting down at the glowing pink pendant as he felt a fluctuation of energy surround him in the form of a pillar of light. Yet as the mystical energy flowed within him, Folken's mind became considerably blank of thought. After all, he knew this was to happen.

His fate was finally upon him..

But as quickly as the feeling appeared, it dissipated into nothing, revealing a place darker and colder than the castle Hitomi and Folken once stood in.

"Where are we?" Hitomi asked as she tried to recollect her jumbled thoughts and feelings, and attempt to calm her beating heart. Folken blinked, trying to rid himself of the fading white flashes which impeded his gaze. As his vision cleared, Folken's eyes moved to an all too familiar machine and it was in that instant that he knew _exactly_ where they were.

'Dornkirk's chambers. The fate alteration device worked.' His thoughts were soon broken as he heard a voice call from above him.

'Everything is in place. All the elements are in my hands. It's time to fully activate the Fate Redirector. Everything is going as I wish."

Hitomi and Folken both raised their head towards the thundering voice.

'That voice...' Hitomi murmured as her earlier vision flashed before her eyes. '…I recognise that voice.'

Her mind envisioned the same room from her premonition, realising that it was indeed the same dark chamber in her mind. Her thoughts dissipated as she heard Folken's voice beside her.

"Your wish...?" Folken asked harshly to his former master, barely restraining himself from shouting out his rage.

Dornkirk smiled snidely, already knowing the Strategos' question before he even voiced it. "**Yes, I guided fate so you'd bring the girl from the Phantom Moon here," **he replied, his tone thick with arrogance and satisfaction. After all, the fate alteration machine made him able to predict the future, and even change it according to his own will.

Dornkirk's reply caused Folken's blood to pulse in his veins. "How much are you going to twist fate!" Folken argued, rising his voice to the point where he could not even attempt to hide his emotions. The elder scientist's eyes glinted from his throne. **"Stupid question. You know what I think, don't you?"** he questioned in a condescending tone, further influencing his Strategos' ire that he struggled to constrain.

"Then, you know of my determination, right?" The Fanelian prince threatened, unconsciously clenching the hilt of his sword. The faces of his mother and father, Van, Naria and Eriya flashed before his eyes followed by images of Fanelia and the legendary battle against the dragon. These once buried memories arose from the darkness of his mind and had the effect of drawing a sneer from his lips. The cold mask slipped off Folken's face and was now replaced with burning hatred. His eyes flared crimson as if a premonition of the blood he was soon to spill. Gone were his restraints of composure as his eyes narrowed up at the man; the monster who had corrupted and destroyed so many lives before his very eyes. There was no way he would let his former master continue with his plans of controlling destiny.

The old man chuckled in amusement, as if he was conversing with a simple child. **"You came here to kill me, right?" **he questioned in a satirical tone, tilting his head to the side in a condescending manner. **"Go ahead, kill me. There's no one to stop you!"**

Folken's response was silent as his hand clenched tighter around his sword hilt. All his awareness of his surroundings was obliterated as the form of Dornkirk filled his vision.

Hitomi whipped her head around at the sound of metal being pulled from its sheath. She turned around unable to believe her eyes. Folken had drawn his sword out to fight.

"Folken?" Hitomi asked frantically, as a flash in her mind made her head to snap up and look at Folken with a horrendous expression.

'No…He…my vision...He is going to...'

It seemed to Hitomi as if her mind was pulled from her body and she was once again viewing the scene from above. The two men regarded one another, seeming oblivious to her presence, and no matter how much she wanted to cry out, her vocal chords were clotted with fear.

So as an observer, Hitomi felt her heart clench at her inability to express her feelings to what she knew Folken was about to do.

"Come on, Folken,"

Hearing Dornkirk's voice caused Folken's resolve to shatter. "You're insane!" He exclaimed. Then, in one fluid moment, the Fanelian prince leaped off the ground, relying on his tainted wings to propel him upwards towards his ultimate fate. His black feathers fluttered beneath him, falling below his feet. The brunette's fearful cries fell upon deaf ears, as Folken's burning surge of anger and thirst for blood consumed his mind and soul. Each flap of his wings brought him every step closer to sealing his destiny. Each moment he lived, he felt every part of humanity depart from within him. Each breath he took, he relived all his failings of giving pain and suffering to those who he loved. There was only one thought on his mind.

'It is time to end this madness.'

His feet landed upon Dornkirk's podium; his pulse pounding with a black vengeance against his neck. Folken's face remained blank of emotion as his hands, both skin and metal raised his sword above his head for his final attack.

"Folken!" Hitomi cried out in desperation, tossing her head side to side refusing to believe that her vision was occurring before her very eyes.

"Don't!" she pleaded, silently praying for Folken to at least turn and look at her and cease his thoughts of death and revenge.

The blade trembled in the hands of its master, as if faltering in its path for a moment. But soon gravity caught up upon the weapon, and the sword soon descended downwards, its path and fate sealed in one move.

Hitomi's screamed from soundless lips as she closed her eyes in an attempt to void herself of the reality around her.

Yet crimson life did not cover Folken's sword. It was instead a green noxious fluid which splattered across his chest and stained his blade.. The blade slashed through the weathered grey skin like paper. The sinew and bone did little to defend Dornkirk from its attacker, destroying vital organs from the forceful swipe. It was gravity which caused the sword to detach itself from its bleeding victim. However, such force made the blade possess a need to prove its unconditional power to its master, till it struck firmly against the side of Dornkirk's metal throne.

The clang of the opposing forces of matter fought; both wanting to dominate the other. Yet the one who was crafted for the need for war; the weapon, surrendered as the blade's tip snapped and vaulted into the air.

The broken shard moved upwards, sailing through the currents of time. Each moment silent and mournful till at last the shard fell, latching itself upon its master's chest. Through the prince's left pectoral. Straight to Folken's heart. The broken sword quivered in Folken's hands, his mind going blank momentarily at the flare of physical pain consuming his emotionally battered heart.

The Fate Redirector glowed around him as vials of Dornkirk's metallic blood released themselves across their master's resting place, The green liquid poured down the throne until the flood became weak drips which echoed in the morbid silence of the room...

Folken's heart lurched as his face barely revealed the pain of his fatal wound. His eyes had lost their wild lustre as they gazed across Dornkirk's mutilated body then down at his own chest, revelling in the irony of his fate. "I see. This is the centre of redirecting fate..." Folken whispered to himself, his uneven breaths weak and shallow. " ...where action and reaction are at their strongest..." His eyes then moved from his blood and looking straight ahead, staring at the nothingness before him.

"But..." His lips twisted in a weak smile, as he felt his sword fall from his lifeless fingers. "...the war... will end. I-I wish true peace to Gaea...".

His wings arched outwards and then everything he thought, felt, feared and remembered was expelled from his body from his shaken gasp. He felt his mind let everything go... He fell backwards, embracing his body to the darkness. The winds caressed his skin as he felt himself plummet downwards. But there was no fear in his heart, and his pain seemed distant from his mind. There was only acceptance in his soul. He was barely aware when he felt his body collide to the ground, the sharp impact shattering his wings and spine against the gravity's unyielding force. His blood pooled around him, submerging and coating his mangled feathers in a crimson hue. Folken's body was accepting death. His crimson life was vastly depleting itself around his broken form. But as he opened his eyes and felt a crimson stained tear slip beneath his eyelashes, he felt one final regret awaken within him.

"V-van.."

And then everything that once had so much meaning to him, simply had no meaning at all.

Folken Lacour de Fanel, Prince of Fanelia was dead.

* * *

Oh I so hate that scene. Folken didn't deserve to die... I thought it was so heartbreaking how Van can sense the death of his brother and then reminisces a childhood memory when Folken swung him around in his arms...sighs Anyhow, this is merely like the prologue. Hitomi has witnessed one of the greatest traumas that she has ever experienced on Gaia...what will she do next? Try to change them of course! 

This chapter is rather short, but the future chapters will be much longer.

Please review you guys. I would very much like to know what you think for the idea for this fic!

Ja ne

Aer-seph4eva

Any thoughts? Comments, feel free to notify me by email.


	2. Chapter 2

****

Diverging destiny

7737 words

Author- Aerseph4eva

Anime- Escaflowne

Folken/Hitomi

Chapter 2

A-N

Hey! I am glad to see that you guys are interested in this fic. When an author writes a non-canon fic, they usually have to sacrifice the pile of reviews from the canon worshippers, and stomach the inevitable flames from certain narrow-minded readers. However, I do believe that such original fics are worth the chance regardless of gaining a negative reception. After all, originality helps to spurn other budding writers to form more non-canon coupling. Crosses fingers. There are so few Hitomi/Folken fics out there. However when you compare other animes such as Inuyasha with the coupling of Sesshomaru and Kagome, there is over a 1000 fics dedicated to that pairing. That is why I do not understand why so many people have not pondered over H/F as there are a lot of startling similarities to Inuyasha.

sighs

Hopefully there will be more F/H fics out there. Not just one shots that are less than 3000 words, but an entire epic. I think I have only read at least one F/H epic yet the memory and title of the story has been long lost to the folds of time...

Feh, enough with my ramblings...

Now on with the fic!

* * *

Hitomi blinked once, then twice. Her mind was blank with disbelief as her eyes stared transfixed at the scene before her. It felt like she was watching a play where the heroic knight sacrifices himself to save his country, and protect his beloved from harm. But such a thought seemed an insult to even think at such a solemn time, for a fanaticised story could not relate to what realities she had witnessed. Fictionalised horror stories written on scraps of paper did not have the power to quicken the blood in fear, and freeze the heart from all emotion. The horrors found in reality were created from unknown darkness, and a greater ill-fate than any fantasised tales formed from the depths a high school girl's mind. For a lonely girl; there was the knowledge that a tragic story tale could make her shed a singular tear in comfort as she searched the pages for the fated sonnet, the final word of goodbye. But if the parting was too great and the many tears she wept began to dampen the inked sheets, the pages could be quickly turned; the book easily shut and hidden till all which touched its tearstained pages were the powdered dusts which lined against the back of her drawers. But a book was like that, the memory could only remain ever present to time as long as the book was never forgotten, and that the pages were never torn. The book would wait for its owner to pick it up once more, and that was all it could do. Just wait. But life could never be treated the same way as an idle book. Fate's pages were unable to become torn and scattered, and no page could be skipped or ignored. After all, fate controlled everything. Such as a book which structured a beginning a middle, and an end, fate could not be deterred from a path which had been woven into the landscape of time. The great seamstress continued to lace this history, entwining memories and events into one true form which would never be forgotten, and could never be ever erased. In this miraculous patchwork, it was death which continued to plague nature's fabric, scarring its beauty with its torn and ragged edges, merging the colours of the heavens to a point where no pigment could be seen. Death's reigned ultimate in the destruction of the heart, whether in eloquent writings of a story, or in a macabre destruction of a treasured life. It's purpose and effect always remained the same. Death made the strongest heart fold to sadness. Sadness made the weakest heart cry. It was those tears which Hitomi could see from within her mind, coming from a source which were not her own.

"Van...Van's crying.." Hitomi whispered to herself as she raised her hand to her throbbing heart, feeling her heart swell with sorrow.

"I felt him...he saw Folken fall..." she continued, feeling her shoulders shake in woe. It felt like Van was with her, absorbing the same sadness inside of her, and combining his sorrow to her own. Even at the distance, she could see the pool of blood which surrounded Folken's form, and the black scattered feathers saturated with his crimson life.

'He fell...He...'

She was unaware when she took the first step, then another, but soon she was running from the platform towards the lower levels where Folken's body lay. She listened to her erratic breaths which seemed unnaturally quiet to the pounding of her heart, as she sprinted down the metal ramp with a speed that surpassed even her own skills as an athlete. It was like Van was running along within her, giving her his Draconian swiftness to fly downwards towards the death scene. Her trainers soon landed upon the fated platform, her feet almost slipping on the blood beneath her. Her breaths mirrored the same tempo as her heart, as she used her trembling legs to move closer to the fallen form, being careful not to tread on the ebony feathers which graced her path. Her small footsteps soon stopped, when she realised that she could not move anymore, that one step further and her foot would graze against the angel's side. She felt her heart falter at the sight, having the sudden urge to run away from Folken's lifeless body, and the sorrow which filled her heart.

'Van's crying'.

That awareness and realisation that Van has **lost** his only brother caused Hitomi to drop down to her knees, bringing her hands out to steady her. She was oblivious to the blood which marred her clothes and skin, as the horrors of the scene began to slowly take over her mind. Her voice hiccupped in panic as she moved her trembling hands towards the angel's teal hair, before moving downwards to turn his face to her gaze. Death was written in the pallor of his skin, and within the wet trail of his last fallen tears, which leaked from his lifeless eyes. Hitomi's voice became clogged in her throat as she stared down at his peaceful expression, her face paling in horror at the sight of the thin trickle of crimson sliding down his cracked lips. Her hands moved to Folken's bare shoulders and gently turned him upon his back, where his black wings were laid, splayed and broken behind him.

'I can feel Van's pain..' she whispered to herself, almost choking on the words as she saw the cause of the angel's death staring back at her. A slim shard of metal, no bigger than a nail file, caused the death of a man who was so important to the future repairing of Gaia, to the healing of Van's war battered heart.

"Oh Gods...Van!"

Her mental connection to Van only intensified the pain; a mental pain which ravaged her insides and brought forth the tears to drip down the sides of her face. In those moments, she was exposed to Van's entire feelings of suffering and pain which was had remained bottled up inside of him. It seemed that her mental gate was opened when she saw Folken die. In doing so, Van watched through her Hitomi's eyes; his only brother, the man he wanted to hate, but so much wanted to forgive fall from the grace, to then fly onwards to the next world.

Hitomi raised a hand to her mouth at the sudden revelation. "No...Oh God no...Van's **alone**..." Hitomi whispered to herself, feeling once more the painful aura of death surround her. No matter how many times she felt the reaper's darkness in her mind, she could not expel the pain and suffering which pulled at her heart, threatening to pull her body asunder. Her awareness of thought disintegrated into oblivion, where she was only aware of her tainted thoughts of darkness. Of her visions of death. . Then there, she could see so many familiar faces as they faded towards their deaths. But as she reached out to touch them, their features faded away as quickly as they appeared. She could only express her thoughts with the colours which danced before her very eyes. Red. Crimson red, splattered against a black, dead existence.

'B-balgus...the f-f-fake...Nar-ia...F-f-fol-ken...?'

She was unaware of the time her knees buckled forward, the way her body pitched forward upon the angel's corpse. Nor did she realise that her eyes had became lifeless as her mind finally gave into the girl's trauma and fell into darkness.

_-----------------------------------------------------------_

_If the tightly gripped hand were loosened,_

_Probably, with this, everything would now be completely over._

_The things I wanted to know, even the things that hurt,_

_Not a single thing would be left like that._

_I should wish for you to meet with happiness, but_

_My unwilling, immature self wipes it away, the tears begin._

_Good bye_

_I love you. You more than anyone._

_Even more deeply than the sky._

_Don't cry, We'll meet again, right?_

_But not being able to see you, it's something only I know._

_Having chosen this kind of fate,_

_Someday, you too will understand what it really means._

_We have made a treasure of memories,_

_That will live forever in a hidden part of our hearts._

_I thought it so beautiful, the word called hope,_

_Embracing almost painfully, looking up at you._

_Thank you._

_I love you. You more than anyone._

_Even stronger than dreams._

_Hold me. Don't let go._

_But please don't tell me one more thing..._

_Don't cry. I love you._

_Even being separated far away from you,_

_I can go on living my life with you..._

_ Into the Light_

_

* * *

_

It seemed that she was floating in a surrealistic state, where her dreams and memories flickered around her, enveloping her with scattered emotions which gave her laughter, and those which brought forth her first tears. But there, in the centre of her being was her dark haired King. The boy who had became so connected to her spirit and her inner being. Van Fanel. As soon as she thought of him in her mind, he was standing with her in her mind. She felt her eyes lock with his, where she soon became frozen to his magnetism. She was unaware of who moved first but she soon found herself staring straight at Van's face. His face was so close to hers that the slightest movement would cause their noses to touch. His chocolate orbs full of waves of emotions, cascading and thrashing within the windows of his soul. Their dark layers of colours bled into one another in such stunning shades, that left Hitomi feeling overwhelmed with vulnerability from just seeing Van looking so exposed and emotional. She watched as he reached his hands out towards her, his fingers seeming to caress the air before him. Then suddenly, his ivory wings exploded from behind him, enshrouding Hitomi in a flutter of white feathers.

"...Van?" Hitomi whispered, unable to understand what was happening around her. Her heart and mind seemed to be struggling for dominance, and Hitomi could not understand whether she was awake or dreaming. However, as Van continued to stand before her as her visual pillar of strength, she felt her heart throb as she stared at Van's outstretched palms. Closing her eyes, Hitomi felt her body lunge towards her white winged angel, wanting to be taken away from her pain and sorrow which engulfed her being. But as she awaited for the familiar warmth of Van's bare chest against her own, she felt herself lose herself to gravity's power. She wasn't ready for the physical pain when her body collided against the ground, and her body reacted with a hurting cry. Opening her eyes, Hitomi lifted herself off the ground, wincing with the effort confused as to what had exactly happened.

"Van?" She asked, as she looked around the void for the sign of her dark haired angel, but there was no sign of him. Not even a singular feather. The brunette felt her eyes glaze over with the beginnings of tears, feeling strangely emotional as the void surrounding her made her feel intensely insecure and vulnerable. Wrapping her arms around herself in a weak attempt for solace, Hitomi tried to search the darkness surrounding her for her guardian angel. She turned her head to check to see if the Fanelian King was standing behind her, but as she turned her head back she gasped aloud to see him smiling back at her.

"Van!" Hitomi exclaimed, taking a couple of steps before pausing at a startling realisation. The Van which stood before her was not the boy she knew. Instead, it was a small boy, wearing a smaller version of the clothes that King Van wore. The dark haired child stared back at her with a happy expression upon his face, looking very much out of place with the dark void which surrounded them both..

"It's Van...as a little boy," Hitomi realised as she looked at the dark and wild locks which framed the prince's small tanned face. Beneath the russet bangs were a pair of wide chocolate orbs that reflected youth and joy in their expression. Van continued to smile at her, showing the small dimples on the sides of his lightly freckled cheeks.

"You're Van, aren't you?" Hitomi said, smiling herself when Van enthusiastically nodded in agreement.

"Yep. And you are Hitomi," Van replied in a voice fitting a child, as he tilted his head to the side in interest.

Hitomi nodded, mentally thinking how cute Van looked as a young child. "Why yes Va-hey!" Hitomi called as Van suddenly turned and ran towards her in what seemed a impulsive hug, before he darted sharply around her and gave her a short tap on her arm.

"Tag. You're it!" Van replied cheekily before dashing to the right, running as fast as he could away from the befuddled girl.

Hitomi blinked in bewilderment, watching the boisterous boy move away from her. Realisation soon dawned upon her face as Van kept on taunting her to chase after him.

'Van wants to play...'

Her athletic impulse immediately kicked in and soon she was sprinting after Van, hearing his delighted laughter in front of her. Pure green grasslands seemed to arise from each footstep she made. Then soon enough, the whole lands were full of fields, where a zealous golden sun blazed across a blue summer sky. Soon, Hitomi's fears faded as she focused all her attention on running after the young Fanelian prince. The awareness of whether she was in awake or sleeping was a distant thought in the back of her mind as she moved her lithe body to its full potential.

"You can't catch me," the dark haired prince laughed over his shoulder as he turned right, unaware that Hitomi was getting ever closer to his destination.

"I'm going to get you Van!" Hitomi replied as she saw herself get so close to Van that she believed that it wouldn't be long till she caught up him.

The young prince giggled at such an idea as he turned his head to voice his opinion on the girl's exclamation. "You cannot catch-Hey!" Van exclaimed, surprised to see that the brunette girl had caught up with him so quickly and was almost a hairs-breath away from touching him. Desperately not wanting to lose to that of a girl, the young prince hastily thought of a final idea which would secure his place as winner. So with his last remaining energy, the prince shot even further ahead of Hitomi and tossed his shirt aside. Then in one motion, his innocent white wings sprouted from his back and forced him up into the sky.

"Hey that's cheating!" Hitomi cried out with indignation as she felt her legs slow down to a jog.

Van continued to laugh in hysterics, rubbing his sides in mirth. "So...? Girl's aren't supposed to be **that** fast!" He added, as he propelled himself higher in the sky.

Hitomi frowned in mock irritation as she felt her lips twitch into a pout. "Then how can I catch you?"

"That's easy..." Van replied as he placed his hands on either side of his hips. "You don't!"

Then with that the Fanelian prince darted out of the brunette's vision, leaving the girl speechless for a moment.

"H-Hey...Van! That's definitely not fair!" Hitomi cried out. "Come back!"

However the young prince did not reappear, nor did he even return her call. Hitomi twirled on the balls of her feet, gazing out at the picturesque scenery surrounding her in search of a specific dark haired Fanelian prince.

"Where has he gone?" Hitomi mumbled, as she began to walk in the direction she was standing in, feeling the wild grasses brush against her calves, and inhaling the heavenly smell of nature surrounding her. She continued to walk onwards, refusing to give up faith, and that was when she saw it. A perfect ivory feather, glistening with an ethereal sheen, stood out from the natural foliage which surrounded it.

The brunette bent down on her knees, inspecting the delicate item. "This must be Van's..." Hitomi mused, as she plucked the singular plume from the ground to raise it to her vision. But soon after her fingers touched the white feather, the brunette felt her jaw open in surprise as she felt it blown right out of her grasp. The white feather danced in the soft summer breeze before falling to gracefully to the ground, just a few feet from where Hitomi knelt. It shocked her to no end that as she tried once more to collect the feather, a light breeze saved the feather from being caught. It then became a game as the feather continued to play with the young teen, awaiting for the girl's soft fingers to grace its form before darting off ahead of her. The simple game continued to go on, unconsciously directing Hitomi in a path that she was unknowingly moving herself towards.

'He heheheh...stop.hehe...Bro-bro...hah hahhehe...that t-tickles..."

The familiar childlike laughter once again filled the pasture with song, and Hitomi felt her attention directed from the feather to that of her surroundings. Due to her concentration of collecting the feather, she was surprised to find herself in a different location, where gigantic trees loomed in the distance, and white flowers swayed gently among the grass it resided within. She turned her head to the direction that she knew the voice came from, noting that it came from the area where a patch of oak trees were clustered. Hitomi raised herself to her feet, brushing the invisible grass and dirt off her skirt and knees.

"Van?" Hitomi called, as she let herself be directed towards the laughter, moving towards the trees which greeted her vision. As she reached her destination, she heard the laughter arise in volume. Placing a steady hand on a nearby tree, Hitomi tilted her head to peep at what was causing Van to be so happy.

Her heart warmed at the sight which befell her. Van was twirling around in the arms of his brother Folken. Van's face seemed to glow with happiness as he spread his white wings out at full length, causing many of his ivory feathers to fall down at an alarming rate. But it seemed he had no care, as his dark locks whipped around him, revealing his delighted facial features for all to see. Folken's expression matched his younger sibling as he rotated on the balls of his feet, raising Van higher into the sky.

Hitomi felt her heart thump for them, getting lost in the moment and the happiness which emanated from the two brothers. 'They are both so carefree...and _happy_...' she thought to herself as she leaned against a nearby tree. As she closed her eyes to release a content sigh, she felt a gentle tug on her hand. Snapping her eyes open, Hitomi turned her gaze down at an impish looking Van who pulled her hand and brought her away from her hiding area to the place where another presence stood, watching in mild amusement.

"Try it Hitomi..." Van added, leaping up and down for emphasis. "My big brother is amazing!"

She soon felt arms surround her and Hitomi's eyes opened to see enigmatic eyes of a young Folken peer back at her, a youthful grin gracing his lips. Then slowly she watched in animated shock as she felt herself lifted up seeing Folken smiling back at her.

"Folken!" the brunette exclaimed, but before she even had a chance to utter a response, Folken began to gentle twirl her around in his arms. Hitomi felt a bubble of innocent laughter erupt from within her and then she was twirling around, faster and faster than any ride she had ever ridden. Van's love for his brother was throbbing in her heart and as she looked into the older prince's face, she could see the pure love that was clearly returned. Everything felt so light. So heavenly. So alive...

Her forest green orbs snapped open in shock. "You are alive!" Hitomi exclaimed as she stared down at the fair haired prince with animated shock.. "But...I...thought...you died...?"

It was then after Hitomi said those final words, that the magic came to an immediate **_stop_**. Folken's hands tightened around her, and she felt a severe nausea suddenly rose within her. She tried to make him stop, but the prince went even faster where her urge to vomit increased. She heard a scream crawl out of her throat, barely realising that it was Van's cry as she was consumed by images which could only be defined as horror. Each setting was consumed by smoke and fire, with blood and darkness. Each image was more devastating than the next. Torrents of blood poured from the heavens and upon rural lands of Fanelia which burned before her very eyes. Nameless soldiers appeared before her eyes, screaming out in pain before the fires enveloped them. Guymelefs stood and crumbled before her, while mountains turned and trembled to the melef's wrath. Soon her friends faces were entwined with the spiral of destruction and Hitomi felt herself wrench out a maddening cry. It was then the ride stopped and Hitomi felt her feet touch the ground, and the iron grip vanished from around her form. She felt her body tremble after the first few steps, covering her mouth from the wash of emotions and thoughts that spun around her. As her vision cleared, she raised her head to see Folken standing before her, transforming before her eyes to the man she recognised today. Her eyes moved towards the maroon stripes which seemed to flare at the corner's of his claret hued gaze, then down towards the purple teardrop that marred his right cheek. But then as Hitomi looked back at Folken's face, she felt a feeling inside her crack at the all too apparent melancholic misery that saturated his soul. His physical and mental suffering was as clear in his expression with just a simple sideward glance. She felt her eyes tear at the way Folken's haunted expression stared back at her, returning her gaze of pity upon himself before moving his gaze towards his arm. His inhuman arm. Her eyes then fell upon his Zaibach uniform, before gliding down towards the grafted arm, which glinted menacingly at her, most especially the sharp silver claws which curled and scraped uneasily across his makeshift palm.

'His hand...That hand would be fitting for a cold blooded killer, or even a rampaging animal which slashes the necks of his prey without mercy. But Folken... is neither of these...' Hitomi's thought, as she used her eyes to reflect her sympathy for Folken. However Folken's emotions was clearly displayed with the paint on his face, which masked the self loathing that was caged in his heart.

Her heart sang out for him, wanting to say something yet unable to think of the right words to say. A gentle tap on her back made her jump, as she twisted her body to realise that Van was standing behind her. Not the child prince with the wide eyes and beaming smile, but the Van she knew. The King of the fallen Fanelia. The Van whose shaded eyes reflected a stolen youth for a duty awful which he did not deserve to burden. Her eyes flickered between the two brothers who were both staring at her with forlorn expressions.

She turned her gaze back to Van and saw the way he stepped closer towards her, The scent of the fields tickled her nose, intoxicating her soul with the familiarity of the scent. She felt her foot move forward to make a step, and saw Van's mouth move upwards into his typical boyish grin which tugged at her heart. However as she moved towards his opened arms, she paused, remembering the last time she touched him, she fell right through him as if he were nothing more than a spirit. Hitomi feeling unsure about herself, turned her head back to gauge the older brother's expression. When she did turn to Folken and saw the utter look of desolation and self loathing upon his face, it took all her effort not to cry again.

"Hitomi."

Hitomi felt her gaze move back towards Van who was slowly moving towards her.

"Hitomi."

Her attention then flickered towards Folken who too had stepped closer towards her form. They continued to voice her name, before it became a mantra and Hitomi felt at loss which direction to go. The decision was soon decided for her as she felt both the brother's arms wrap around her hands, drawing her between their chests which pulsate with warmth and comfort. She was unaware at the time she had closed her eyes, but when she reopened them, she saw Van's tanned fingers holding her left hand, while her right was wrapped in a cold, metallic grasp of Folken's.

Hitomi licked her lower lip in nervousness, feeling her mouth become unusually dry "Van?...Folken?" she asked, peeking through her honey locks at the two males who stood of either side of her. Both their eyes were so raw with emotion that Hitomi couldn't turn her gaze away from their striking faces.

"You both look so sad..." she began as she moved her gaze to the brothers' hands which were held so tightly around hers. "You both have suffered so much...too much blood has been spilt... Van...I don't want you to experience any more pain and sadness..." she said quietly, knowing that if she spoke louder, her voice would break. Folken nodded silently as he placed his left hand upon his mecha claws. Feeling the gentle squeeze on her right hand, Hitomi turned her attention towards the older brother knowing exactly what she wanted to say to him but not knowing the words for how to speak it. "And Folken...I'm so sorry...You did not deserve the fate you were given...what I would do if I could only take it away...I would do anything to make it so I would never have to loose those who I cared about..."

It was then the dam burst, and no matter how much Hitomi tried to stop herself from crying, her tears continued to trickle down her face. Folken and Van's wings exploded from their backs, in a flight of ebony and ivory feathers which enveloped the three of them. The brother's arms enclosed around her, each easing their sadness as they enveloped themselves around the girl. Hitomi's heart slowly gave in to her feelings as she clenched her arms around Folken and Van, crying for the Fanelian brothers loss. The loss of their innocence... The loss of their happiness... The loss of their brotherly love... Their loss of everything...

Soon the tears slowed and the hiccups became less frequent and Hitomi stood there, sandwiched between the two Fanelian angels who enveloped her with their strong arms, and sheltered her with their heavenly wings. As embarrassed as she felt at having such comfort from two men, she felt herself being lured into a state of contentment that both Folken and Van emanated through the warmth of their bodies.

Her thoughts soon disappeared at the warm breath which fell against her right ear. "Hitomi...did you really mean that?" Van asked as he slowly wrapped his arms around the girl's waist.

Hitomi blushed at his closeness, before realising he had asked a question. "What?"

Folken lowered his head as he tightened his grasp around the brunette's fingers. "That you want to save us...?"

Hitomi felt her mind pause as she stared into Folken's eyes, being momentarily caught up in the deepness of his gaze. "Yes...yes, I would do anything to change the sad fate that surrounds us!" Hitomi exclaimed with all the honesty in her heart watching in awe as Folken's lips twitched upwards in a half smile, giving her a glimpse of his past self that was hidden beneath his painted mask.

The Fanelian King squeezed the girl's side in reassurance, not wanting to be missed out. "You bring us light Hitomi," Van breathed in Hitomi's ear, causing her mind to loose all focus.

"Don't let us fall into shadow..." Folken whispered to the air.

"I..." Hitomi began weakly, unable to get rid of the dryness from her mouth. But before she could continued her garbled thoughts out loud, the two Fanelian brothers disappeared in a flurry of feathers.

Hitomi's eyes widened in shock as she looked around her for the brothers. "Van? Folken?" she called out to the nothingness surrounding her.

Her green eyes darted around as her face reflected the confusion of her predicament. "This is making no sense...Is this a dream? A premonition? What is going on with my mind?"

"Hitomi?"

The brunette felt herself jump as a foreign voice invaded her ears. Pivoting around on her foot, Hitomi turned in the direction of the voice, before raising her arms up at the sight which befell her.

"Who...who are you?" Hitomi gasped as she shielded her eyes from the bright light which flared in front of her vision.

Her figure looked almost ethereal in the light as her long wings stretched out behind her, casting a shadow beneath her feet.

"It's you...You...you're Van's mother." Hitomi said in realisation gulping in awe as the figure's bared feet descended to the ground with the grace and lightness of the butterfly. As the female beauty folded her wings behind her, her chestnut gaze slowly moved upwards, finally meeting contact with Hitomi's shocked gaze.

'She's so beautiful.;

"Yes," the draconian nodded.

Her face was pasted with a wistful smile.

"I am Van and Folken's mother."

Hitomi nodded. "Yes, I know." It was then as Hitomi stared at the woman's sad eyes that she had no exact idea what to say, nor was she even aware of how Van's mother was even in her mind.

"I'm sorry." Hitomi said bowing her head in respect, not truly understanding why she was apologising yet finding it necessary at a strange feeling which throbbed within her.

The draconian shook her head, knowing the exact cause of the girl's discomfort. "It is alright..."

Hitomi shuffled her weight on her other foot, feeling insecure of what to say. "What is this place?" she began, believing that was a safe direction of discussion.

With that question, the dark haired angel began to laugh leaving Hitomi confused at what was so funny.

"It is your subconscious," Varie responded, shaking her head at a secret joke she recited in her mind.

Hitomi pouted, "But how are you...?"

"I wished to talk to you," Varie added as she walked towards the young brunette.

"Hitomi I have a favour to ask of you..." the draconian said gently, as her voice slowly lost its musical tone and grew more quiet and solemn. This change was easily noticed by Hitomi as she watched as the celestial angel seemed to fidget as if uncomfortable in her presence.

"What is it?" Hitomi asked, unable to think of anything which Van's mother would ever want to talk to her about.

Varie smiled but it seemed strained and void of emotion. Her hands continued to flex at her sides which made Hitomi feel even more nervous around the ethereal woman. "It sounds so greedy ...I can't believe I can hear these words coming from someone, yet alone from my own lips. But..." Varie's lower lip trembled, momentarily causing her monologue to stop. "But I so desperately want both my sons to have a happy life they deserve."

Hitomi's face furrowed in confusion before darkening with pain at a sudden realisation. "But Folken is..." she began as she bit the side of her lip in anxiety. "Folken died."

Varie's eyes dimmed slightly, her nervousness seemed to be replaced with pain that only a mother could possess after losing their child. "Folken." she said brokenly, unable to stop the tear which slipped down her porcelain cheek. "My poor misguided child. How much I have longed to hold you on those cold nights you laid alone. Oh Van...my baby boy has lost all his family..." she whispered to herself as she raised her hand to rub her eyes of her wet eyes.

Hitomi felt herself tear at the sight, feeling even emotional at the sight of Van's mother mourning over her children. But as she expected the draconian queen to drop to her knees with sobbing, she was surprised as Varie brushed her tears away and pasted a trembling smile on her lips.

"That is why I ask...no beg of you to do this Hitomi," The Fanelian queen said in a note of desperation as she rushed across the floor till she was standing before Hitomi. Hitomi's eyes widened as she watched the draconian queen fall down to her knees.

"I want you to use your power to save my sons from their sad fates." Varie pleaded, as she lifted her gaze to look up at Hitomi in hope.

Hitomi's jaw slackened in shock, unable to believe her own ears. "...But how...I can't...I." 'am not strong enough...' she finished mentally to herself unable to comprehend how this beautiful deity was bowing down for her aid of a plain human girl.

"Please Hitomi. I know you can do it." Varie continued as she raised her hands up to grasp Hitomi's shaking ones.

"I would if I could. I want to save Van. I wanted to save Folken but..." Hitomi shook her head, trying to distil the memory away.

"Only you can do this Hitomi. Only you can save my sons." Varie added, as she gently rubbed the girl's hands in an attempt to pull the girl's gaze towards her own.

"But...but what are you asking me is impossible.," Hitomi exclaimed. "I may be able to talk to Van...but...but Folken... I can't bring back people from the dead!"

Varie felt her own composure crack at the girl's inability to have faith in herself. Rising to her feet, the draconian queen stared into Hitomi's face, unable to look at the girl's eyes as she had them clenched shut in pain."...Hitomi, listen to me."

Hitomi clenched her teeth, as she saw Folken's face in her mind. The streaks of blood sweating down his face seemed to haunt her mind and pollute her thoughts with despair. "But... You are a draconian, can't you use your abilities to help your sons?" Hitomi asked as she opened her eyes to gaze at the woman in front of her.

Varie shook her head sadly once more. "A draconian's magic is lost the day they leave for the next world. I am nothing more than a human spirit."

"But..." Hitomi protested, but her words were cut short when she felt the draconian plant her hands upon her small shoulders.

"Hitomi," Varie stated in a scolding tone, "listen to me, do you want to save Folken and Van."

"Why yes but..."

"There is a way." Varie continued ignoring the brunette's protest. "You first need to purify their sadness in your heart. Only after doing that will make you strong enough to end the sadness."

"End the sadness?" Hitomi mumbled to herself, not truly registering the meaning of the words.

"Yes. You can end the sadness Hitomi! Your pendant is a vessel. If you believe in your powers, you will be able to do anything!"

'Do anything?' the brunette thought in awe. "End the sadness...But that's not possible. If I could do anything I could...'

"Even bring back the dead?" Hitomi asked wryly, finishing her mental thoughts vocally.

Varie shook her head once more. "No, you cannot bring back the dead."

Hitomi's expression darkened, as dark emotions swirled within her gaze. "Then what use..."

"You maybe able to return to the place before the death even occurred," Varie added quickly before Hitomi could even finish her sentence.

The brunette blink, slowly digesting the shocking words. "What does that... You can't possibly mean?" Hitomi asked in alarm, her eyes dilating in elation and horror.

Varie's lips twitched slightly. "Go back in time? Do you doubt the power of Atlantis?"

Hitomi shook her head. "Why no, but...I have never thought it would be possible," she said in awe.

Varie's smile was pleasant as she grasped a hold of Hitomi's hands once again. "If it is possible to create a fate, isn't it possible to undo one?"

Hitomi's eyes widened further, her mouth gasping aloud till suddenly her expression fell downwards into a frown. "But that goes against all understanding of logic. To change fate is so wrong. So selfish..."

The Fanelian queen nodded in agreement. "It is a selfish deed," she admitted not hiding her bitterness about such a realisation. But then her tone changed back to distressing tone and Hitomi felt compelled to accept the queen's words. "But please Hitomi. I am begging you as a mother, longing to give eternal happiness to her children. Please help me rid them of their misery. They were corrupted so young, so very young, and they both have lived a life full of suffering and loneliness."

Hitomi face crumpled downwards, as her mind reflected upon the happiness Van and Folken held when they were young. However the doubts in her mind still plagued her of such reason to accept the draconian's pleas. "But even if I did go in the past, what could I do?" Hitomi asked dejectedly. "I cannot fight. I only cause conflict. I have only managed to bring death with my predictions. I...can only..."

"Change everything," Varie finished, as she watched Hitomi's face awaken from its depression. "You have the power to change such a sad ending. After all, wasn't it you who changed Van's future. He would have died against the Rite of dragon-slaying. Even I knew that long before I sacrificed my body to the dragon graveyards. But you prevented that fate from happening. You protected Van through all this time, and you still do."

Hitomi blushed trying to hide the embarrassment. "Well... yes, but...it was the right thing to do. But Van has saved me more times than I can count." She felt uncomfortable with all the compliments and trust that this woman held for her. She was even tempted to voice her doubts again but the look on Varie's face made her pause her depressing thoughts.

Varie continued on. "And for that spark of happiness you gave to Van, I am more than grateful for your kindness Hitomi. And that is why I want you to go back to the past and stop their needless suffering. Your compassion for others is what will make you change this world for the better. I want both my sons to know what peace and life truly is. Not war, or fighting. I want them to both be happy with one another and I know that you can give them both this gift."

'Maybe she is right. Maybe I have the power. Maybe I can help to end Van's suffering. End meaningless sacrifices...'

Varie saw the spark of hope that had slowly awakened in the girl's green depths and knew that her words were finally being accepted. "Hitomi, I can guide you, but only you can change the fate of my sons. Only you have the power to change their sad fate to a happy one."

Many thoughts crossed Hitomi's mind where her doubts and fears still tempted her to turn away from such false hope. However as she looked into Varie's eyes saw the reflection of Van glint from within them, all her fears began to slowly ebb away. "Don't be afraid. All you have to do is believe in yourself," Varie said and Hitomi felt herself slowly nod in agreement. Varie guided Hitomi's hands towards the pink pendant which graced the girls neck as she enclosed her own fingers around Hitomi's own.

"How do I do this...?" Hitomi asked Varie as she looked at the older woman for advice. When Varie did not respond the brunette moved her gaze down to their united hands and the precious item which was held between their entwined fingers.

"My pendant?" Hitomi questioned as Varie nodded in response.

"Yes, swing the pendant and think of Van. I will channel your energies in the right direction towards a positive fate." The draconian said in a soothing tone as Hitomi removed her necklace and began to gently sway the stone in time to her peaceful heartbeat.

"Now close your eyes," she commanded softly watching as Hitomi's eyes slid shut barely aware of the alien language which fell from the draconian's lips. She tried to empty herself of all thought, and focus upon the pink stone in her mind resonating in the darkness. Her inner eye tried to locate her dark haired king. She tried to pinpoint his dark chocolate orbs hidden beneath long tousled locks. Feel his pointed chin, and stroke his defined cheekbones between her feminine fingers. She felt her mental fingers move towards his regal nose before tracing her digits downwards to his pair of caramel kissed lips. Hitomi felt herself try to inhale the smell of Van, feeling a small smile blossom on her lips when the scent of the fields filled her soul.

Varie continued to whisper her mantra, as her hands tightened around Hitomi's fingers. "Breath in deeply and now just think of him. Every pleasant memory." Hitomi concentrated deeper as she searched her subconscious for every image of Van in her mind, from the first time she met him on Earth, till the moment she saw him shed his shirt and his white wings burst from his shoulder blades. Her white guardian angel.

Varie felt her son's face through the power of her connection to Hitomi. She couldn't help but be in awe of how a mere human could withhold so much power inside herself. Secretly smiling to herself, Varie tightened her hand grip on the human girl's hands. "Just believe. You are stronger than you think." Varie whispered during her chanting, as she clasped Hitomi's hands tighter as the pendant began to slowly resonate in their hands, gaining in power after each moment.

"Quicken the swing of the pendant," the draconian whispered, watching as Hitomi complied to her words and moved the pink stone till its form appeared to merge in the air.

"Quicken it!" Varie repeated. "Don't lose sight of Van!"

Hitomi scrunched her face in deeper meditation, focussing all of her will in completing the single task. Varie's draconian prayer's fell on deaf ears as she tried to complete the vision of Van in her mind. The soft red cotton of his tunic. His large tanned hands covered in small battle scars and calluses.

"Think of his heart Hitomi. His heartbeat!" Varie said from between her words, centring the brunette's remembrance of the steady pulse which matched the same strength and power of Escaflowne's heart. The heart of a dragon. The heart of a warrior. The heart of a man.

A soft glow surrounded both females, as the pendant flickered, glowed, flared, the exploded.

Varie stumbled backwards from the light, momentarily blinded from the flash. As her vision slowly cleared, she moved her hands away from her eyes and stared at the place where Hitomi once stood. But nothing remained.

Varie felt her eyes mist over at the realisation of joint happiness and pain that bloomed in her heart. "It has begun...yet...It feels so wrong to do this. I am no better than my ancestors. Trying to create a fate that I am happy with. I am so ashamed of myself, yet I cannot change the decision I made nor do I want to. Hitomi, I wish you good luck..."

* * *

What do you guys think of this chapter. It didn't go as quite as what I expected. As you may have noticed, Hitomi still has her affections linked to Van and so I will need to made Folken and Hitomi's relationship much more slower paced if I want to make their pairing more justified and favourable.

Please review you guys, I would love to know what you think. Do you think I am really heading in the right direction?

Ja ne

Aerseph4eva

Any questions or comments, you can notify me by email.

* * *

****

Review responses

Kairi-heartilly _Yes. Hopefully there will be more F/H fics out there. Thanks for the encouragement. I will do my best to continue this fic!_

**Macky- **_Thanks. Your comment was much appreciated_

**Sincerity **_I totally agree that it was really mean of the Escaflowne scriptwriters to simply dispose of Folken in that manner. I guess it was dramatic and a perfect tragedy ending for a Shakespearean play, but I just hated how Folken's personality radiated with sorrow and the only way he could appease his suffering was through death. If you have any Folken works I would be more than happy to read them ._

****

kay_L_ _Thanks for the compliment. I always try my best to write a fanfiction which keeps the narrative and characters portrayal as intact and detailed to the original storyline._

****

Shadows-insanity

Thanks. Hopefully you will like the next chapter aswell!


End file.
